Angela Cortez

Angela will assume leadership and oversight of U.S. Hispanic Retail, with a focus on:

• Developing and managing strategic partnerships with key U.S. Hispanic retailers.
• Expanding and executing retail programs tailored to the Hispanic market.
• Identifying and facilitating opportunities for LATAM-based companies with the capability to serve the U.S. market.
• Strategic coordination with the North American team to ensure operational alignment and effective execution.
• Exploring new categories and channels not yet fully addressed by U.S. based companies.

• Developed and implemented the regional growth strategy for Miraculous Ladybug, driving brand awareness, retail penetration, and omnichannel performance in Latin America and Canada.
  
• Transformed the operational model from third-party agencies to a hybrid direct structure, increasing strategic control and agility.
• Executed a “glocal” brand approach tailored to each country’s cultural and economic context, significantly increasing consumer engagement.
• Led negotiations with Nelvana/Corus, strengthening market presence in Canada.
• Designed and delivered integrated marketing and trade calendars, coordinating product launches, promotions, and communications.
• Launched Miraculous Day, a multi-channel annual event now replicated across multiple countries with high consumer impact.
• Achieved preferred vendor status at Walmart Canada, launching a licensed apparel collection in Summer 2024.
• Oversaw a multidisciplinary team spanning licensing, content, marketing, sales, and retail.
• Collaborated with Disney, Warner Bros., Globo, Televisa, and other major media partners to align promotional calendars and retail execution.
• Launched Ghostforce in Brazil with SBT and Discovery Kids, securing 8+ new licensees in key categories.
• Pioneered LBE activations post-pandemic, including: Miraculous Run in Brazil and Mexico Miraculous Carnival in Brazilian malls Miraculous Café, launching October 2024 in São Paulo.
• Partnered with brands like Revlon on digital campaigns to enhance aspirational value.
• Led regional strategies based on KPIs, quantitative data, and qualitative research.
  
• Founded and hosted the LATAM Summit to align licensees, retailers, and key partners.
• LATAM strategies were adopted as global benchmarks within the company.
• Represented the brand at global industry events: Licensing Con Brazil (2021–2023), BLE, IAAPA, and Nuremberg Toy Fair.
  

Began my career as Licensing Director (2009), was promoted to Senior Director (2011) and subsequently took over as Vice
President for South America, Central America and the whole LATAM, leading the Consumer Products operation  throughout the region.

• Transitioned the business from agency-led to a fully owned structure, improving strategic agility and profitability.
• Led a team of 35+ professionals integrating sales, marketing, retail, creative, and brand teams into a cohesive, performance oriented operation.
• Developed quarterly brand strategies with KPIs, sales targets, and budgets aligned to global and local goals.
• Recruited and retained top talent in a culture of autonomy, creativity, and high performance.
• Built strategic partnerships with leading retailers and distributors, boosting visibility and sell-out.
• Coordinated annual retail calendars with media plans and product cycles, aligning high-impact campaigns with media programming, content distribution and commercial cycles, generating concrete results in terms of volume and brand equity.
• Launched immersive brand experiences: themed hotels, park activations, and mall events.
• Championed experiential marketing (LBE) in post-COVID LATAM markets, with scalable formats that integrated content, product and entertainment direct to the consumer.
• Co-created regional strategies of activation strategies, retail and integrated experiences with global HQ in New York representing the LATAM region.
• Delivered 360º campaigns integrating storytelling, media, product, and point-of-sale execution.
• Ensured cross-functional alignment and compliance in collaboration with Finance, Legal, Trade, and Ops.
• LATAM became a global reference for innovation and execution under my leadership.
  

Worked for seven years at Warner Bros, where I was promoted internally from Senior Category Manager to Licensing Director, leading the strategic development of licensed products in Brazil and contributing directly to the consolidation of the brand as a national reference in consumption and entertainment.

• Oversaw key categories: apparel, footwear, bedding, accessories, stationery, toys, and food.
• Led category managers with a focus on product development, licensing strategy, and retail execution.
• Managed licensee relationships of all sizes, delivering strategic insights to drive growth and market presence.
• Designed tailored commercial plans for each brand, including KPIs, pricing, and activation strategies.
• Created integrated retail promotions with major national partners to drive licensed product turnover.
• Orchestrated product calendars tied to media launches and consumer trends, increasing engagement and sales predictability.
• Managed end-to-end product development from creative brief to final validation, ensuring compliance with the brand’s guidelines and adherence to consumer trends.
• Applied a 360º view of the licensing lifecycle connecting content, product, marketing, and sales.
• Customized licensing strategies for sectors like fashion, toys, beauty, food, and stationery.
• Developed omnichannel campaigns including storefronts, e-commerce, and in-person activations to amplify the presence of WB brands at points of sale and in digital environments.
• Strengthened brand perception at retail, positioning WB as a leader in entertainment and consumption.
  
• Gained deep expertise in IP strategy, turning brands into high-impact business platforms.
  

Led the internal revenue and purchasing management of one of Brazil’s largest theme parks, with a focus on profitability, consumer experience and innovation in themed consumption.

• Managed revenue streams from food, retail, games, and parking in one of Brazil’s largest theme parks, with a focus on performance, margin control and operational efficiency.
• Structured the themed shopping sector and developed products in line with the park’s ambience, anticipating the concept of immersive consumption and experiential marketing (LBE).
• Reduced COGS through supplier renegotiations and optimized product mix.
• Boosted per-capita spending via menu optimization and strategic retail placement.
• Trained frontline staff in suggestive sales, visual merchandising, and service excellence, increasing team efficiency and public engagement.
• Designed themed experiences that integrated product into visitor journeys.
• Partnered with leading consumer brands to co-create sponsored park activations, expanding the park’s sources of revenue and brand value.
• Worked cross-functionally with Ops, Marketing, and Sales to align profitability and guest experience.
  

Began my journey in large-scale retail as a strategic category manager in the children’s and teenage department, where I worked with product development, commercial planning and integration with licensed global brands.

• Managed children and teen categories including apparel, shoes, stationery, and accessories, with a total focus on strategic assortment, profitability and stock turnover.
• Planned and executed the complete development of the product mix, defining imports, margins, pricing policy, seasonality and sales potential by channel and age group.
• Coordinated major promotional campaigns with licensed properties such as Disney and Mattel (Barbie), boosting conversion.
• Built cross-category licensing programs integrating toys, fashion, and school supplies, with a focus on commercial synergy, consumer experience and brand presence at the POS.
• Led in-store storytelling and visual merchandising with a shopper-first mindset.
• Trained in Walmart’s management model, a foundational experience in retail operations, where I developed robust negotiation, sourcing, pricing, margin and execution skills.
• Managed national and international sourcing processes to ensure quality and timely collections.
• Contributed to softlines category management strategy based on consumer behavior and ROI.
  

•  Public Speaking & Performance, TalkLab Escola de Palestrantes (2023) – Speaking, storytelling and performance techniques for high-impact presentations.
• Emotional Intelligence (24h), Fray Training (2019) – Emotional intelligence applied to leadership, empathy and decision-making in high-pressure environments.
• Expression Workshop, Fray Training (2019) – Non-verbal communication, executive presence and expressiveness in corporate contexts.
• Leadership Development Program (LDP), ESPM / F&M (2008) – Strategic training in leadership, organizational culture and team management.
• Time Management, Franklin Covey (2008) – Advanced productivity techniques, priority setting and focus on execution.
• Mission, Vision & Values Development, Franklin Covey (2008) – Building a strong organizational culture and institutional alignmentl.
• Strategic KPI Implementation, Franklin Covey (2008) – Structuring metrics and performance indicators for results governance.
• Results-Oriented Teamwork, F&M (2012) – Collaboration and high-impact team performance with a focus on goals.
• Retail Expertise, PROVAR / USP (1998) – Consumer behavior, sales channels and category management in large operations.
  

Representative and speaker at global licensing and consumer trends events:

• Licensing Expo – Las Vegas
  Annual participation since my entry into the industry, including the transition of the event from New York to Las Vegas, with a focus on networking and market updates.
• Nuremberg Toy Fair – Germany (2023 & 2024)
• IAAPA Trade Show – Orlando
• LATAM Toys Trade Show – Brazil (2022 & 2023)
• Licensing Show – Las Vegas e New York
• Strategic visits to: Mattel (US), Playmates, Jakks Pacific, Warner Bros. Studios, Rainbow (Italy), Viacom LATAM (Miami), Walmart HQ (Bentonville)
  

• Guest Speaker – ESPM
“Turning Desires into Consumer Products”
“History and Trends in Licensing in Brazil”
• EXPOLAZER – “How to Maximize In-Park Revenues”
• Nickelodeon Brazil Summit Events – Host & Leader (2009–2015)
• Viacom LATAM Virtual Consumer Products Event – Official Speaker (2020)
• Podcast ABRIN 2024 – Toys Market & Trends Expert
• Podcast “Brands & Cia” – Featured on personal reinvention and leadership
• TV BAND – RN – National interview: Career insights and book launch

• Author of “Heart, Pray and Action”
  Inspiring book on resilience, purpose, and female leadership.
  2nd Edition released in São Paulo and Rio Grande do Norte, 2023

• Guest Author Participation in the book Entre o Visível e o Invisível nas Organizações by Regina Rebello, Ricardo Leme, and contributing authors — 1st Edition, 2025.

• Portuguese – Native
• English – Fluent
• Spanish – Intermediate/Advanced